This invention pertains to the art of vacuum cleaner devices, and more particularly to a hand-held vacuum cleaner.
The invention is particularly applicable as a device for suction cleaning items and places where conventional, larger sized vacuum cleaners are inconvenient and, more particularly, where a hand-held vacuum with a revolving brush that provides a vibrating and sweeping action is useful. U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,543 shows such a hand vac and its disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. The invention is intended for use with a twelve volt motor, such as is typically powered by a conventional automobile battery or generator system.
A principal problem with prior known hand-held vacuums having such a twelve volt motor is the mounting and placement of the motor in the vacuum cleaner housing to accommodate proper cooling of the motor. For example, a conventional twelve volt, nine and one half amp motor which is useful in the subject invention is configured to have the motor commutator at one end of the motor housing and the armature windings at the opposite end of the motor housing. The fan for cooling the motor is typically disposed intermediate of the commutator and armature windings so that the cooling air flow through the motor comprises drawing air in through the opposite ends over the commutator and windings, respectively, and then exhausting it through the middle of the motor housing at the fan location. This differs from a more usual motor configuration in which the cooling exhaust fan is at one end of the cleaner, not in the middle.
A particular problem presented by use of such an electrical motor that can be powered by a car battery is to accommodate the cooling air needs of the motor while maintaining a clear and unobstructed working air channel for the passage of dirt laden working air from the nozzle through to a bag or collector assembly. The problem entails not only maintaining proper separation of the working air from the cooling air, but also ensuring that the cooling air is properly directed so as not to intermix cooling air intake and cooling air exhaust.
Another common problem with hand-held vacuum cleaners is proper mounting of the motor within the vacuum cleaner housing. In particular, since the motor operates a relatively large fan, the fan must be locked against rotation within the housing and positioned in a secure disposition within the housing to properly operate the fan, avoid obstructing the working air channel, avoid electrical short-circuiting or shock to a user of the cleaner and minimize vibrations and noise generated therefrom. Most conventional cleaners simply use fastening devices to fasten the motor housing to the vacuum cleaner housing. However, in a highly automated assembly operation, the use of such fastening devices directly between the motor and the housing is undesirable both from the time efficiency of the assembly operation itself and from the difficulty and cost in using multiple fasteners to secure a motor to the housing.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved hand-held vacuum cleaner which overcomes the above referred to problems and others to provide a new hand-held vacuum which is particularly useful as a car vacuum to be powered by the car battery or generator and which provides improved hand-held vacuum cleaner operation with respect to motor cooling and unit assembly.